CWA Reaches Tentative Agreement With Verizon (34,000 members from Virginia to Massachusetts)

Source: CWA

NEW YORK-- The Communications Workers of America today announced a tentative agreement with Verizon Communications that protects the job security and retirement security of 34,000 members from Virginia to Massachusetts.

A new contract has also been negotiated between Verizon Wireless and 70 CWA-represented technicians who maintain cell sites in the metropolitan New York area.

The settlement comes after a militant two-week strike when the old contract expired in August, 2011, and an ensuing 13 month on-the-job membership contract campaign. Verizon and CWA had been engaged in intensive negotiations under the auspices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service since July 25th, 2012.

“We stood up to the most sweeping and intensive attack on our standard of living and bargaining rights in the history of the telecommunications industry,” said Chris Shelton, Vice President for CWA District One, which stretches from Maine to New Jersey. “The unity and determination of 34,000 CWA members since bargaining began in June, 2011 has produced a new agreement that preserves intact our members’ pension and job security, provides for a substantial wage increase, and preserves a high-quality health plan.